Page 31 of Don't Make Promises

I can feel his gaze on me even as I try to shrink back into the shadows, which is hard to do with the bathroom light still on. My labored breathing is the only sound I can hear. My eyes are glued to his defined abs and the two lines on his hips leading to the intimate parts of him hidden by his low hanging black sweats. I take him in almost greedily, a hunger clawing inside me. Every part of him is big and even as far away as we are he makes me feel delicate.

Not appropriate, Savannah.

This is your FRIEND’s boyfriend.

Look away.

A longing, I have no right to feel, settles in the pit of my stomach.

He’ll always have my heart.

The heck he will.

This living situation is one of convenience and my stupid emotions are not fifteen years old anymore. Flicking off the bathroom light, I rush into my room, shutting the door behind me as I sink against the cool wood.

That was stupid of me. To have gone out there without covering up. He’s probably going to think I was trying to seduce him and kick me out. No, he wouldn’t do that. Jack would be pissed.

I just need to be more careful.

I need to put more distance between us.

Climbing into bed, I pull the covers over my head, closing my eyes as I will sleep to come.

As with every night since I’ve been here, my mind is plagued with fantastical dreams of a boy who’s now turned into a man.

Only unlike reality, in my dream, this one wantsme.

TWELVE

Noah

Ipause in the light of the refrigerator, my brow furrows as my ears strain to hear the sound again. It was like something had dropped, which considering it’s two thirty in the morning, is odd.

Maybe Sutton or Savannah has knocked something over.Maybe I’m just hearing things. Despite standing completely still for a good five minutes, there isn’t any more noise.

Of course, it’s possible that it’s just Sutton going to the bathroom, but when I went and changed out of my suit, she was fast asleep and she never wakes in the night.

Grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator, I close the door and make my way through the kitchen and out into the hallway. The moonlight lights my path.

All of these late nights have me hallucinating. That’s got to be what it is. This merger is draining me. Several times over the past few weeks, I’ve considered walking away. It’s not worth the stress it’s causing me.Teddy isn’t worth the fucking stress.

I’m walking out of the living room when a light at the end of the hallway near Savannah’s room catches my eye. Instinctively, I look over, certain it’s another trick.

My gaze connects with Savannah’s wide eyes. I can’t help the way I take her in as she stands frozen at the end of the corridor.

Neither of us says a word or makes a move.

An awareness ripples through me, settling into the pit of my stomach where it tumbles and tightens. She’s only wearing lingerie and it barely covers parts of her body I have no right to see. The light from the bathroom creates a spotlight behind her, simultaneously hiding her from me but hinting at her curves.

My tongue feels heavy in my mouth, and I swallow thickly trying and failing to get my feet to move. This is wrong on so many levels.

Savannah seems to come out of her fugue state first and turns off the light, shrouding the corridor in darkness before racing into her room.

When the soft click of her door closing echos down the hallway, I blink, taking an involuntary step forward. I catch myself before I go any further.

Fuck, what the hell was that?

I’ve known Savannah since she was fourteen, seeing her in her underwear can’t be the reason for the currents of electricity coursing through me.